Abstract: A method for bonding airfoil sections includes aligning upper and stub airfoil sections having upper airfoil pressure and suction sides and stub airfoil pressure and suction sides respectively, pressing together upper and stub airfoil cross sections at upper and stub airfoil distal ends of the upper and stub airfoil sections respectively, and then resistance welding, preferably solid state resistance welding, the upper and stub airfoil sections together along the upper and stub airfoil cross sections by passing electrical current across the upper and stub airfoil cross sections. The upper and stub airfoil sections may be clamped between pressure and suction side upper airfoil electrodes and between the stub airfoil pressure and suction sides respectively. The method may be performed while the stub airfoil section is attached to an airfoil carrier such as a rotor disk rim, a gas turbine engine drum, or a gas turbine engine blade platform.

Abstract: A MEMS vapor bubble generator with a chamber for holding liquid and a heater positioned in the chamber for heating the liquid above its bubble nucleation point to form a vapor bubble; wherein, the heater has a microstructure with a grain size less than 100 nanometers.

Abstract: The methods and devices described herein generally relate to Li4Ti5O12 negative electrodes for lithium ion batteries, methods of preparing the Li4Ti5O12 negative electrodes, and methods of preparing the lithium ion batteries containing such electrodes. The Li4Ti5O12 negative electrode improves the safety performance of the lithium ion battery by preventing or reducing thermal runaway of the lithium ion battery during overcharging.

Abstract: A MEMS vapor bubble generator includes a chamber for holding liquid; and a heater positioned in the chamber, the heater being formed using a sputtering technique. The heater is formed from a superalloy material. The superalloy material of the heater is in direct contact with the liquid, without any intervening protective coating. The superalloy has a crystalline structure with a grain size less than 100 nano-metres. The superalloy is MCrAlX, where M is one or more of Ni, Co, Fe with M contributing at least 50% by weight, Cr contributing between 8% and 35% by weight, Al contributing more than zero but less than 8% by weight, and X contributing less than 25% by weight, with X consisting of zero or more other elements, preferably including but not limited to Mo, Re, Ru, Ti, Ta, V, W, Nb, Zr, B, C, Si, Y, Hf.

Abstract: The present invention provides plasmonic crystals comprising three-dimensional and quasi comprising three-dimensional distributions of metallic or semiconducting films, including multi-layered crystal structures comprising nanostructured films and film arrays. Plasmonic crystals of the present invention include precisely registered and deterministically selected nonplanar crystal geometries and spatial distributions providing highly coupled, localized plasmonic responses in thin film elements and/or nanostructures of the crystal. Coupling of plasmonic responses provided by three-dimensional and quasi-three dimensional plasmonic crystal geometries and structures of the present invention generates enhanced local plasmonic field distributions useful for detecting small changes in the composition of an external dielectric environment proximate to a sensing surface of the plasmonic crystal.

Abstract: A MEMS vapor bubble generator with a chamber for holding liquid and a heater positioned in the chamber for heating the liquid above its bubble nucleation point to form a vapour bubble; wherein, the heater is formed from a superalloy.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to devices and methods for cleaning, disinfecting, or sanitizing a toilet bowl surface or other surface. The device features a sheath having a first surface and second surface. The sheath is capable of assuming two positions. In said first position the first surface faces inward toward itself defining a first opening and a first chamber. In the second position the second surface faces inward towards itself defining a second opening and a second chamber and the first surface faces outward. The sheath is moved from the first position into the second position by inverting it over a flexible head attached to a hollow wand. A roughening agent is affixed to the first surface for cleaning toilet bowl surfaces and other surfaces. A cleaning, disinfecting or sanitizing agent can also be applied to the first surface of the sheath.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a printhead with an array of ejection devices for ejecting drops of liquid onto a media substrate. Each of the ejection devices having a chamber for holding liquid, a nozzle in fluid communication with the chamber and a heater positioned in the chamber for contact with the liquid such that resistive heating of the heater generates a vapour bubble that ejects a drop of the liquid through the nozzle. The printer also has a controller for receiving print data and generating drive pulses to energize the heaters in accordance with the print data. The controller increases the drive pulse energy during the printhead lifetime.

Abstract: The present invention provides plasmonic crystals comprising three-dimensional and quasi comprising three-dimensional distributions of metallic or semiconducting films, including multi-layered crystal structures comprising nanostructured films and film arrays. Plasmonic crystals of the present invention include precisely registered and deterministically selected nonplanar crystal geometries and spatial distributions providing highly coupled, localized plasmonic responses in thin film elements and/or nanostructures of the crystal. Coupling of plasmonic responses provided by three-dimensional and quasi-three dimensional plasmonic crystal geometries and structures of the present invention generates enhanced local plasmonic field distributions useful for detecting small changes in the composition of an external dielectric environment proximate to a sensing surface of the plasmonic crystal.

Abstract: An organic polymer including internal pendant phosphorous acid groups at a level of >0.25% phosphorus by weight based on the weight of said organic polymer, the phosphorus acid groups being separated from the backbone of the organic polymer by no more than 2 alkylene glycol units, the organic polymer having an acid number of from 100 to 1,000, and a Mw of from 1,000 to 75,000, wherein the organic polymer has been formed by emulsion polymerization from at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer is provided. Compositions further including an emulsion polymer including from 0.05% to 2% phosphorous, present as pendant phosphorous acid groups, by weight based on the weight of the emulsion polymer, and, optionally, an inorganic particle are also provided as are processes related to the compositions.

Abstract: An article having a thermal-spray coating thereon is prepared by thermally spraying a coating material onto a surface of a substrate article. The coated article is nondestructively tested by directing a transmitted ultrasonic signal into the coated article, receiving a received ultrasonic signal from the coated article, and evaluating a near-bondline region of the coated article located adjacent to the surface of the article using the received ultrasonic signal.

Abstract: An article having a thermal-spray coating thereon is prepared by thermally spraying a coating material onto a surface of a substrate article. The coated article is nondestructively tested by directing a transmitted ultrasonic signal into the coated article, receiving a received ultrasonic signal from the coated article, and evaluating a near-bondline region of the coated article located adjacent to the surface of the article using the received ultrasonic signal.

Abstract: A plastics zip for clothing has two mutually engagable male (203) and female (204) zip profiles of generally uniform cross section along the whole or part of their length and merged or demerged within a special slider (115). The slider has two guide slots (116, 117) which join to create a Y-shaped passageway within the body of the slider and side slits (118, 119) to allow the slider to move along the fixed tapes or flanges (108, 109) of the zip profiles. One of the guide slots contains an expansion element (226) which opens the jaws of the female profile allowing it pass over and capture the smaller male profile so that the zip is merged. Movement of the slider in the opposite direction allows the two profiles to be demerged and exit from the slider.

Abstract: An aqueous polymer composition is provided containing select levels of hard polymer and soft polymer, wherein the hard polymer and the soft polymer are contained as dispersed particles. Portions of the hard polymer and optionally, the soft polymer, have select chemical groups. The aqueous polymer composition also contains composite particles formed from pigment particles and a plurality of polymer particles having the select chemical groups. The aqueous polymer composition is useful for preparing coatings having a combination of improved hiding, low temperature film formation, and hardness properties, such as dirt pickup resistance. Methods to prepare and to use the aqueous polymer composition are also provided.

Abstract: An ambient curable aqueous dispersion of polymer particles containing pendant ethylenically unsaturated side chains; a method of applying to a substrate a coating composition containing the aqueous dispersion of polymer particles; and a method of making the aqueous dispersion of polymer particles are provided.

Abstract: A method for fabricating and testing an article having a thermal-spray coating thereon. The method includes providing a substrate article having a surface, thermally spraying a coating material onto the surface of the substrate article, wherein a surface of contact between the coating material and the substrate article is a bondline, and nondestructively testing the coated article. Nondestructively testing includes generating an eddy current in the coated article, measuring the eddy current in the coated article, and evaluating a near-bondline region of the coated article located adjacent to the bondline using the measured eddy current.

Abstract: A method for fabricating and testing an article having a thermal-spray coating thereon. The method includes providing a substrate article having a surface, thermally spraying a coating material onto the surface of the substrate article, wherein a surface of contact between the coating material and the substrate article is a bondline, and nondestructively testing the coated article. Nondestructively testing includes generating an eddy current in the coated article, measuring the eddy current in the coated article, and evaluating a near-bondline region of the coated article located adjacent to the bondline using the measured eddy current.

Abstract: A method for fabricating and testing an article having a thermal-spray coating thereon. The method includes providing a substrate article having a surface, thermally spraying a coating material onto the surface of the substrate article, wherein a surface of contact between the coating material and the substrate article is a bondline, and nondestructively testing the coated article. Nondestructively testing includes generating an eddy current in the coated article, measuring the eddy current in the coated article, and evaluating a near-bondline region of the coated article located adjacent to the bondline using the measured eddy current.

Abstract: A polymer composition including polymer particles containing a first polymer and a second polymer is disclosed. The first polymer has a crosslinked core and has a glass transition temperature in the range of ?30° C. to 100° C. The second polymer containing select crosslinking groups and has a glass transition temperature in the range of ?10° C. to less than 18° C. A process to prepare the polymer composition is provided. Also provided are a coated article containing a coating prepared from the polymer composition and a method of preparing the coated article. The polymer composition has good low temperature film formation and provides a film with an acceptable level of hardness.

Abstract: An aqueous coating composition having improved adhesion to friable surfaces including an emulsion polymer of certain compositions and certain acid numbers having a glass transition temperature of ?20 C to 100 C and an average particle diameter less than 120 nanometers; and 0.25-10%, by weight based on emulsion polymer weight, water-soluble alkoxylated amine is provided. In addition a method for for improving adhesion to friable surfaces by using the aqueous coating compositions of the invention is provided.